HUMANS OF ŌTAUTAHI

The season of

DIRECTED BY STEPHEN ROBERTSON

MUSICAL DIRECTION BY RICHARD MARRETT

Ali Jones Writer, broadcaster, and housebus adventurer. @housebusdylan @dylanthehousebus

There’s a beauty about Fiji that goes beyond the sunsets, sunrises, sea, surf, and sand – the Fijian people. Those of you who have been following our adventures in Dylan the house bus may be wondering what Fiji has to do with anything? In May, we spent a week there, and it was far from our first time. Having lived in Fiji in the ’70s, it’s a lot like coming home. I remember the music, the food, the sea, and the people. With tourists returning in droves, it was fascinating speaking with so many working in the tourism sector about what they have been doing for the last two years and how things are now. Overwhelmingly there is a real joy at being back at the resorts and other related businesses, with most mentioning their friends, their work colleagues who they had not seen for many months; some not for the entire two-year break. Simeli, who is a food and beverage assistant at a well-known resort, helped his grandmother fish back in their village and sold hot sweetcorn by the side of the road after the pandemic pretty much closed the borders. He told me this with no sadness, bitterness, or regret. He is so happy to be back. As occupancy rates steadily increase every week, more of the resort employees are coming back from the villages. And the bookings are going nuts. The occupancy rates at most Denarau resorts are sitting at about 90 per cent as I write this, and the Coral Coast resorts – filled with families mainly from Australia and New Zealand – are also nudging mid 80 per cent. I am told there are periods later in the year when there is no room at all across the islands. The big issue will be flights. There is obviously some occupancy; however, there aren’t the seats to get people here. Let’s hope that changes and everyone who wants to, who is fortunate enough to be able to, can come to this amazing place which is home to the most wonderful people in the world. Kesa, Sulu, Simeli, Tue’e, Manu, Jonacin – vanaka vakalevu (thank you very much) and ni sa moce (goodbye). Until next time.

Read more from Ali at avenues.net.nz

“I’m a lawyer. Who’s just been made a QC (Queen’s Counsel). Startlingly!

“I’m the only woman QC practising in Christchurch which is outrageous. When I graduated from law school, Judith Ablett-Kerr had just been made a QC. She was the third woman QC in New Zealand, and here we are, however many years later, and I’m only the sixth in the South Island.

“I’ve done some unusual things in my career. I have been both a prosecutor and a defence lawyer. I was appointed as one of the counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the Pike River tragedy.

“I worked for a while as the public defender for Christchurch, but then I got a job in Cambodia. I was working for the coinvestigating judge at the UN Khmer Rouge tribunal, investigating crimes against humanity from the ’70s, and that was eye-opening.

“My whole career has been dealing with the terrible things people do to each other. Look, I do have hope for humanity, but it’s quite challenging sometimes to see what people do to each other.

“I’ve had my moments; I’ve had times where it’s been all too much. And it’s really important to have empathy for people that are having a terrible time. But ultimately, you’re not responsible for what’s happened to them or what they’ve done.

“I just have a normal life, I guess. Hang out with my dog and Shaun and the kids. I read. I like to walk the dog. I’ve just started running, which is actually quite good. I mean, I’m terrible at it. But it’s quite good for the psyche.”

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